The Guru Index›Gurus›Dr. Daniel Sugai
Dr. Daniel Sugai
Dermatologist

Dr. Daniel Sugai.

A Seattle-based dermatologist, Dr. Sugai posts new videos every Saturday covering sunscreen, retinoids, serums, moisturizers, and haircare, walking through the clinical reasoning behind product choices rather than just the conclusions. His Hawaii and Harvard training comes through in takes that stay close to what holds up in a clinical setting.

Why Is He A Guru?
Board-certified dermatologist trained in dermatology residency at Harvard Medical School, with years of patient-facing practice in Seattle.
329Products
294 yay92% approval rate
24 nayDoesn't pull punches
17 hot takesWhere he breaks from the pack

Dr. Daniel Sugai's top picks.

The products Dr. Daniel Sugai has crowned best in their category, and brings up again and again.

★ Best retinol for mature skin
Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer
Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer
Brought up 29 times
The Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 has niacinamide in it and then peptides as well. I love retinols with vitamin B3 in it, niacinamide.
★ Best am facial moisturizing lotion
AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 50
CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 50
Brought up 26 times
I love CeraVe's new facial moisturizing lotion SPF 50 A.M., that's a nice one.
★ Best moisturizer
Cicaplast Baume B5
La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5
Brought up 22 times
You could also put La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 -- a very thin layer -- for tolerating your retinoid.
★ Best premium vitamin c serum
C E Ferulic
SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic
Brought up 21 times
I love their serum, C E Ferulic.
★ Best moisturizer
Ultra Facial Cream
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream
Brought up 19 times
Kiehl's had an amazing lineup of products from acne to anti-aging. Their Ultra Facial Moisturizing Cream with glacial glycoprotein and squalene is just one of my favorite moisturizers of all time.
★ Best favorite cleansers
Toleriane Purifying Foaming Cleanser
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Purifying Foaming Cleanser
Brought up 18 times
My ultimate favorite has to be the La Roche-Posay Toleriane Purifying Foaming Cleanser. That one's so good, I love it. It has niacinamide and a really nice blue bottle that lasts forever. A very small amount goes a long way.

Dr. Daniel Sugai, in short.

What does Dr. Daniel Sugai recommend?

Dr. Daniel Sugai has reviewed 329 products. Of the ones he gives a clear yes or no to,he approves 92%. The products he rates highest and brings up most are Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer, CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 50 and La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5.

Which sunscreens does Dr. Daniel Sugai recommend?

He has reviewed 78 sunscreens and approved 69 of them. The ones he rates highest are CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 50, CeraVe Invisible Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 and Blue Lizard Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50.

Which serums does Dr. Daniel Sugai recommend?

He has reviewed 54 serums and approved 46 of them. The ones he rates highest are SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic, La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Serum and Eucerin Advanced Repair Cream with Polyhydroxy Acid.

Which moisturizers does Dr. Daniel Sugai recommend?

He has reviewed 50 moisturizers and approved 48 of them. The ones he rates highest are La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5, Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream and Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion.

Which retinoids does Dr. Daniel Sugai recommend?

He has reviewed 34 retinoids and approved 31 of them. The ones he rates highest are Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer, Olay Retinol 24 Max Night Moisturizer and CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum.

What does Dr. Daniel Sugai say no to?

He has skipped 24 of the 329 products he has reviewed. The ones he is clearest about are CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30, The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%, Neosporin, Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant and Eucerin Radiant Tone Dual Serum with Thiamidol.

What does Dr. Daniel Sugai recommend for each skin type?

There is a guide to his picks for each skin type he covers most: Dr. Daniel Sugai on sensitive skin, Dr. Daniel Sugai on acne-prone skin and Dr. Daniel Sugai on oily skin.

What they review most.

Dr. Daniel Sugai's hot takes.

Products where their take diverges from the rest of the gurus.

Dr. Daniel Sugai: Nay vs gurus 69% Yay
I could never recommend this product or just any niacinamide serum, even if it's made by La Roche-Posay. Niacinamide at high percentages at 10, 15, 20% is just way too high. Just like too much of a good thing is not good. In studies all you need are 2 to 4% of niacinamide to help regulate sebum, help with brightening the skin and repairing the skin barrier.
Dr. Daniel Sugai: Nay vs gurus 67% Yay
I have to say even though I love the brand, very disappointing. My patients haven't seen much improvement in their dark spots with it. I've used it and it does not even compare to hydroquinone. So this is one deal I would pass on. [...] If the B5 ever goes on sale, I would rather go with their hyaluronic acid serum, not their Mela B3.
Dr. Daniel Sugai: Nay vs gurus 79% Yay
The SPF 30 is a hybrid, so you'd expect it to be a nice lightweight textured sunscreen, but it has a little bit of a chalky white cast. Still, the texture isn't as lightweight as you'd expect, say, like another hybrid sunscreen like the classic one being La Roche-Posay UV Clear.
Dr. Daniel Sugai: Nay vs gurus 72% Yay
I hope Eucerin can take out the fragrance or just tone it down. A fragrance-free option would be great [...] because we never want to cause a rash that leads to dark spots and worsening hyperpigmentation. So I'd [...] have to cut this fragrance product, not thamol as a molecule or as an ingredient. That said, I've had patients truly happy with this to use on their breaks from hydroquinone because you can't use hydroquinone all the time.

Every review.

All 329 products Dr. Daniel Sugai has reviewed, grouped by product type. Click a product to see the full guru consensus.

All takes Yay takes Nay takes Against the gurus
Sunscreen78 reviews
"This has ceramide 3 and niacinamide and is very lightweight. Love it. For those who are mature skin who just want a nice hydrating, lightweight moisturizer, or someone who is on acne medications, a young adult or a teenager, this one's a great one to use in the morning to seal in all of your vitamin C serum or after a good cleanse, just go straight to this."
✓Yay
85%Guru Score
"The SPF 30 is a hybrid, so you'd expect it to be a nice lightweight textured sunscreen, but it has a little bit of a chalky white cast. Still, the texture isn't as lightweight as you'd expect, say, like another hybrid sunscreen like the classic one being La Roche-Posay UV Clear."
✕Nay
79%Guru Score
"This is one of the best sunscreen releases this year. It's all mineral and I don't know how they made it so lightweight. It has niacinamide as well and doesn't leave much of a white cast for my skin tone. So I want to buy more for next summer. [...] I'm definitely going to get this."
✓Yay
88%Guru Score
"This lotion is great because it has niacinamide and I love how lightweight it is. This one is a great upgrade above the AM SPF 30. [...] The SPF 50 AM is $10 right now instead of $20, so it's 50% off. [...] I would go with the SPF 50 AM over the AM SPF 30 any day."
✓Yay
87%Guru Score
"Neutrogena collagen bank has a SPF version and a non-SPF version. I would put the non-SPF version over your vitamin C serum where you get signaling peptides to tell your skin to make more collagen in the dermis [...] to help with firming and wrinkles. This is a nice hack to incorporate into your morning routine, especially if you can't tolerate retinoids at night time."
✓Yay
69%Guru Score
"Beauty of Josan has done a great job with having various tones available for tinted sunscreen."
✓Yay
64%Guru Score
"I like Neutrogena. They have done a great job with having various tones available for tinted sunscreen."
✓Yay
88%Guru Score
"When I applied these to my eyelids, I had no stinging whatsoever. [...] For the skin 10004, I love that it's in an airtight pump with a nice little cap to protect the pump. Very convenient to apply. [...] The supporting formula players in this are very nice. You have panthenol, centella asiatica, also multiple forms of hyaluronic acid and the antioxidant green tea as well as soothing oat and rice extracts. [...] Just keep in mind this does not have iron oxides, not a tinted sunscreen."
✓Yay
87%Guru Score
"Their new UV Clear Oil Blemish acne fighting sunscreen with 5% niacinamide is also a hybrid and one that has impressed me this year."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"This is a chemical UV filter sunscreen, and when they call it UV Air I thought they were being pretty confident, but it really is like air, it's a serum like sunscreen that acts like skin care. It has nice niacinamide, it's a higher price point, but it melts away into the skin so quickly, just a couple of swipes and it's gone. I can wear this every day, it feels weightless, and it has a nice little dewy glow. This has been a lifesaver this summer."
✓Yay
77%Guru Score
"This is for the friends who say 'I hate sunscreen because it feels so heavy, it feels like it clogs my pores.' This truly feels like a skin care serum. It has hyaluronic acid to help hydrate the skin and niacinamide as well, which I love for those who have acne prone skin or if you have hyperpigmentation. [...] So, this is just almost a near-perfect sunscreen. It is a chemical UV filter, unlike K's which is all mineral. [...] Lightweight, breathable, and practically invisible under makeup."
✓Yay
80%Guru Score
"People sometimes ask me what do I do if I have makeup on and I'm at a wedding and I want to reapply. You can consider Supergoop's resetting powder. I believe they have different shades, this one's a light shade here. This is all mineral zinc oxide, and this is something you can conveniently apply over your makeup, and [...] you can put in your purse, your bag, your pocket, and you can easily apply it, reapply sunscreen over your makeup there."
✓Yay
62%Guru Score
"For those who are acne prone or rosacea prone, I like EltaMD's UV Clear SPF 46. It's great because it has niacinamide, which helps regulate sebum production, helps brighten the skin, and is very soothing [...] mixed into a sunscreen. If you have acne prone or rosacea prone skin and don't like thick sunscreens, this sunscreen is amazing, so gentle, so soothing, and very lightweight, and it won't clog up your pores. Just know it's not all mineral, it's a combination of zinc oxide and octinoxate."
✓Yay
77%Guru Score
"Patients have told me CeraVe's Sheer Tint SPF 30 isn't always the right tint for them, [...] but it's the sunscreen I personally travel with all the time, it just matches my skin tone so well. It goes on a little thicker, but it acts like a BB cream, helps hide blemishes, and gives a really nice finish. It doesn't feel heavy, blends in very well, and is very hydrating. Good job to CeraVe for being a great drugstore brand, and I believe they might be coming out with different shades as well."
✓Yay
76%Guru Score
"It blends in very well, only one tint though. I really like that it has the DNA repair mechanism, since as we get UV radiation damage and get older we aren't as good at picking up DNA repair mistakes. It's also packed with antioxidants, so you're paying more for it, but it's a great reliable brand. I recommend it to patients a little older, after age 40 or 45, dealing with pre-skin cancers to full-on skin cancer tumors."
✓Yay
80%Guru Score
"This one isn't traditionally an iron oxide tinted sunscreen, but a quick plug for EltaMD's UV Skin Recovery with green tint. My patients have come in saying that they use it and really like that it complements the redness of their face, whether they have seborrheic dermatitis or rosacea. It's a nice green tint you can use as a hack to cover up redness [...] instead of getting expensive prescription medications."
✓Yay
98%Guru Score
"I give it to my patients and they all come back raving that it is so nice, so gentle. It's very affordable, fragrance-free, and all mineral. I've even thrown it on my kids and they like it too, and I like all mineral for pediatric patients. It's very accessible online and at your local drugstore, so you don't have to spend luxury skincare money. The only downside is it only comes in one universal tint, which doesn't apply for everyone, but for my skin type it works very well."
✓Yay
77%Guru Score
"After a chemical peel, patients using SkinCeuticals Physical Fusion Tinted Sunscreen have complained [...] that the tint doesn't match them, it just changes their skin tone completely."
✕Nay
79%Guru Score
"Another alternative would be Blue Lizard's Sensitive sunscreen, that one's water-resistant as well."
✓Yay
72%Guru Score
"Any kind of mineral sunscreen stick, Neutrogena, CeraVe, or Cetaphil, my kids really like those sticks to reapply sunscreen so they can jump back into the pool."
✓Yay
77%Guru Score
"Other honorable mentions would be Aveeno Baby."
✓Yay
78%Guru Score
"If you want an option for if you have sensitive skin, Vanicream Facial Moisturizer [...] SPF 30 is a great go-to for those with sensitive skin."
✓Yay
77%Guru Score
"Cetaphil are really good for reapplication when you're going to the pool or the beach."
✓Yay
73%Guru Score
"If you are going out working out outside, go for a water-resistant sunscreen. My favorite last summer was La Roche-Posay's Anthelios UV Sport."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"Blue Lizard for the kids. That's a great mineral sunscreen with water resistance."
✓Yay
74%Guru Score
"Their hydrating sheer sunscreen that's hybrid, great for face and body and it's water resistant."
✓Yay
79%Guru Score
"CocoKind's SPF 30. That was the first product that I ever used in that line, and I love CocoKind."
✓Yay
81%Guru Score
"I love Neutrogena. I still use Helioplex, but I've seen quite a bit of patients getting some irritation from chemical UV filters. When the sun hits these UV filters, they can break apart and their byproducts can cause irritation. You might see that in some Neutrogena Helioplex sunscreens or any other brand with a mixture of different chemical UV filters."
~Mixed
76%Guru Score
"If you have hyperpigmentation, go for a tinted sunscreen. [...] The iron oxides are important to block visible light, and you can see that in EltaMD's UV Elements."
✓Yay
81%Guru Score
"Chemical you can find in K beauty products. Say Beauty of Joseon. Those are very lightweight. They have very little chance of causing a white cast. That's good for those who are acne prone who don't want a thick sunscreen that could clog up their pores."
✓Yay
87%Guru Score
"Things we've talked about on the channel tinted sunscreen would be dermatology universal tinted moisturizer, Ulta MD tinted daily, their UV daily, and their UV clear come in tinted formulations. [...] Those are all great to consider if you have melasma."
✓Yay
81%Guru Score
"Tinted sunscreen would be dermatology universal tinted moisturizer, Ulta MD tinted daily, their UV daily, and their UV clear come in tinted formulations. [...] Those are all great to consider if you have melasma. That's a non-negotiable everyday apply your tinted sunscreen."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"Like Avène's tinted sunscreen. It ruined my Spam Musubi shirt in Hawaii. I was so sad about that."
✕Nay
63%Guru Score
"I just started using this sunscreen this year. One of my favorite hydrating sunscreens. [...] I like the texture of this one. For those who have dry, dehydrated skin, this is a little thicker texture, but still very lightweight, but not watery. [...] It goes on like a thicker cream, but it just blends in so well. If you have dry, dehydrated skin, it's going to trap in all that moisture."
✓Yay
73%Guru Score
"It has volcanic water, but this also has peptides and vitamin C. I'd say this is a good one for my mature patients because of the peptide technology. Peptides help increase collagen production by being a cell signaler. The lightweight texture of this wins. [...] A little thicker than the Lancôme, but again, very lightweight. Doesn't peel on the face. I brought this one to Vegas because this one is quite portable and it comes in a nice convenient airtight pump and does not feel heavy at all."
✓Yay
78%Guru Score
"I love having it in my sunscreens. It has a zinc oxide base. It's quite lightweight. They made a tinted sunscreen that I like. [...] This is zinc oxide base, but you are paying for that technology and the price point is higher. I pulled up a recent paper that they did in reconstructed 3D skin models. The OS-01 increase epidermal thickness, improve expression of barrier and repair genes."
✓Yay
85%Guru Score
"They even just came out with a body SPF. [...] By having this OS1 proprietary peptide, you're going to increase collagen production, but you're also going to clear out the old senescent cells that are just hanging out."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"I like sunscreen sticks on the neck because it's a really easy surface to reapply sunscreen there, the back of the neck. I love sunscreen sticks like Neutrogena, [CeraVe], Cetaphil, and EltaMD. They make great sunscreen sticks for reapplication."
✓Yay
79%Guru Score
"Another hydration boost would be Neutrogena's Hydro Boost with SPF 50. All great things to apply in the morning"
✓Yay
80%Guru Score
"I have Eucerin Sensitive Mineral Face. My patients have been liking this sample quite a bit. I'll use it after chemical peels. Iron oxides will help block visible light as well as the UVA and UVB. Invisible light we have found is a big contributor to flaring hyperpigmentation and melasma. So if you have hyperpigmentation, try to go with a tinted sunscreen."
✓Yay
76%Guru Score
"Now, I love Neutrogena, but I don't know what they're doing here having a Retinol Moisturizer with SPF. You should be reapplying SPF throughout the day, not your retinol. And retinol should be applied at bedtime once. Don't reapply your retinol. They should be separate products."
✕Nay
70%Guru Score
"Recently, I've been using Neutrogena's Ultra Sheer Face Sunscreen. This one is titanium and zinc oxide. And for SPF 70, rubs in quite well. Does have a very small white cast, but not as bad as like say SPF 30, their hydrating mineral."
✓Yay
80%Guru Score
"My wife's all-time favorite is the Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen, water resistant 40 minutes, SPF 40. It's a higher price point, but she loves how invisible it really is. It's truly invisible, it just disappears quickly. She finds it layers really nicely with her makeup as well, putting makeup right over it serves as a great primer. Every year I talk about that being her still her favorite."
✓Yay
73%Guru Score
"The La Roche-Posay Anthelios Melt-in Milk Sunscreen is one of my top two picks for water resistant body and face sunscreen this summer. It rubs in very well, great for spreading on the face and body, and I've been giving my patients samples of this."
✓Yay
77%Guru Score
"My wife's favorites I have to say she loves Vichi's tinted sunscreen"
✓Yay
68%Guru Score
"This one's nice, you know, it has a little nice fragrance to it. I've had some viewers say the fragrance is too strong, so maybe Eucerin could tone it down a little, but it just rubs in really well. This is a chemical UV filter product where you get SPF 30. It's not water resistant, but a nice sunscreen you can apply just for regular use going into the office. Good job Eucerin on having another option for treating such a tough issue, hyperpigmentation."
✓Yay
74%Guru Score
"EltaMD UV Daily and UV Clear are really nice options that my patients love and those are nice things to consider all year round."
✓Yay
81%Guru Score
"I really like the UV Daily Tinted and I feel like I haven't used that much before but I got a hold of the UV Daily Tinted and I really like the tint. It's really quite hydrating with the hyaluronic acid in it."
✓Yay
72%Guru Score
"The UV version has been really nice so I've been recommending this to patients who have scars, they're dealing with scars and they want to protect it from the sun but also help with remodeling the skin with the mataxyl, Centella asiatica, and protecting and moisturizing the scar with shea butter and panthenol. You got it all here. This is amazing. So just want to show you the texture of this, this [...] rubs in quite nicely."
✓Yay
82%Guru Score
"The order would be: cleanse your face in the morning, apply your vitamin C serum, then your sunscreen or a moisturizer with SPF. L'Oreal Double Repair UV is a great option to apply over your vitamin C serum. But vitamin C does not replace sunscreen."
✓Yay
82%Guru Score
"This is one of the newest products, the Kiehl's Autotone discoloration and UV solution, and it's SPF 30. What it has is this new ingredient called Meliso that was developed by L'Oréal, and they have tried to revamp the way we attack hyperpigmentation. Hyperpigmentation involves too much melanin being produced. We have tyrosinase inhibitors, tyrosinase being an enzyme that creates melanin. If we block that enzyme, we hope to make less melanin and less dark spots."
✓Yay
78%Guru Score
"I recommend this not just because it's lightweight but also because it has niacinamide, which is a vitamin B3 analog that's soothing, anti-inflammatory, regulates sebum production, and helps repair the skin barrier. The texture has a little green tint to it. It has licorice root extract, which is great for hyperpigmentation. It glides out on the skin with no sting at all, and doesn't sting even if I put it on my eyelids."
✓Yay
80%Guru Score
"There are some patients who are sensitive to chemical UV filters and even chemical UV filters that break down in the sunlight you can become sensitized or have an allergy to those byproducts so there's some patients who want to get into K Beauty but they're not able to tolerate the UV filters. This is how you can get into the game. [...] You can tell of course it is thicker because it has zinc oxide but they do a great job, it's still very lightweight for a mineral sunscreen."
✓Yay
78%Guru Score
"I've been using this one for over a year and [...] I like this pump a lot because it's so convenient to take around, you know, the park, the beach. It's just great to spread easily onto a large body surface. I use this before I go out on the golf course, and with this volume it's great for face and body. [...] This one has ginseng root water, has a scutellaria root extract, centella asiatica, vitamin E, so this has a lot of great antioxidants."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"Kiehl's Better Screen, this one is nice. I put this on today. This is also a way to protect yourself while also treating with a peptide."
✓Yay
90%Guru Score
"I've been really liking the four fluid ounces of Eucerin SPF 50. This one's all mineral and it's also water resistant, so if you're going to be working out or doing water play, a water resistant sunscreen is important. You want to reapply every one to two hours."
✓Yay
82%Guru Score
"If you want to spend a little bit more money, [...] I like the Tone Smart by SkinBetter Science because I love their Alpharet, their Retinol, great products there. Higher price point, but this one's a water resistant 80 minute tint. There's only one option though."
✓Yay
83%Guru Score
"My favorite this year has been still Neutrogena mineral Ultra Sheer SPF 50, 80 minute water resistant. The only critique to this would be there's a white cast with this, but I don't mind it because I like seeing where I miss. So when I put it on I like to see that white cast. I like to do about four to five swipes with the stick in a particular area before moving on. This one has zinc oxide."
✓Yay
67%Guru Score
"I do like, for affordability, the CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen. That's why this one looks a little beat up, because I take this on my travels. This tint works really well for my skin tone. It's so affordable. If I forget it when I travel, I'll just go to the local Target and pick more up right there. It blends really well."
✓Yay
79%Guru Score
"I've talked about CeraVe Ultra Light Moisturizer with SPF 30. I really like the texture of the Ultra Light here."
✓Yay
78%Guru Score
"I've also talked about Cetaphil, their SPF 35 moisturizer, also with niacinamide. The texture isn't as good as this one, but it is very solid and quite lightweight."
✓Yay
85%Guru Score
"I've always loved SkinBetter Science but their sunscreens, I understand they're mineral but you pay for it, they're expensive and they're at least water resistant. Their tinted option, non-tinted option are quite nice but you know you're paying for it. The tinted sunscreen is quite nice, a little thicker but might not match my skin tone the best."
~Mixed
76%Guru Score
"The UV Glow by EltaMD was a UV no for me."
✕Nay
71%Guru Score
"My wife likes the MD solar Sciences mineral tinted cream"
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"This one is quite an interesting sunscreen. I do like it, I think it's close to being a really good sunscreen, but I have to give it a seven out of 10 because [...] as soon as it comes out of the pump it smells like feet, it smells like stinky feet, and I just do not like that. I have a hard time putting this on my face. When you work it in though, that smell goes away, but it's pretty offensive, has a sour smell to it, and so it's quite off-putting for me."
~Mixed
73%Guru Score
"It's not an expensive brand, you think oh is it really that good, but it's actually a really good brand for your tinted sunscreen. I actually love those little samples of them that I would travel with. I keep it in my car if I forget to reapply when I'm in a rush and I leave the house without putting sunscreen, I'm going to get in the car and put it on before I start driving, so that's a great one to have."
✓Yay
80%Guru Score
"If you have a sensitivity to retinoids, you could consider peptides. You can find peptides in different moisturizers or sunscreen, say Olay's Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30. That one has peptides in it, the pomtoy pentapeptide for complex. It's nice to have peptides in your skincare because peptides are cell signaling and they can tell your skin to make more collagen, which is what we want from our retinoids. So if you can't do a retinoid, consider other things like that."
✓Yay
68%Guru Score
"The other one you could consider if you have redness would be Dr. Jart+, their color correcting cream. They have green tinted to help complement red to hide the redness. If you have rosacea you can consider that as well."
✓Yay
78%Guru Score
"If you have melasma or hyperpigmentation, if your skin is of color and you deal with hyperpigmentation like myself, I would say go with the tinted sunscreen with iron oxides. La Roche-Posay makes the UV Clear."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"This is one of my kids favorite Brands I like the brand my kids like the the stick and the sunscreen cream and they say it feels nice and smooth on their skin"
✓Yay
78%Guru Score
"The texture is much harder, so it's easy to apply around the eyes because of that powder texture. It sticks differently from liquidy lightweight sunscreen. A lot of them are mineral based and water resistant like this one is 80 minutes water resistant. I always say four to five swipes over an area is an adequate amount."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"Clay by supergoop this is a chemical UV filter spray this one has vitamin C"
✓Yay
80%Guru Score
"Other option would be a scalp and hair mist by Sun Bum. This one has chemical UV filters though if you want just mineral then go for this one here. And this hair scalp and hairspray is water resistant 80 minutes."
✓Yay
91%Guru Score
"This is a hybrid sunscreen like the UV Clear but that one is not water resistant whereas this one has the water resistant 80 minute design, so this is a nice one to put on before the beach. Very lightweight because you have that hybrid nature of having zinc oxide and octocrylene. I like this one a lot. It's just so lightweight, makes my skin feel nice and dewy but doesn't overdo it."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"The sport is also water resistant 80 minutes in a larger size but this one is a hybrid this has titanium and zinc but also has octa-salate so not fully mineral but it comes in this nice little jar that's much bigger much larger volume always shake your sunscreen before applying"
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"La Roche-Posay makes it for kids, but for a lot of us parents we worry about not knowing what these chemical UV filters do internally. We don't have any data to show that it's dangerous, but if you are worried about what it could do to a child that's developing, this does have chemical UV filters and you can always go for something else with mineral UV filters, only like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide."
~Mixed
76%Guru Score
"First up we've got Supergoop, this is the Play Everyday Lotion SPF 50. It's water resistant for 80 minutes. It's a little thicker than the other one, but it still disappears right away, just a few swipes and it goes right into your skin. It's SPF 50 and PA4+, so the UVA coverage is at its max. It does have a smell to it, it has some botanical ingredients so it has a nice sweet citrus smell. This one is good for face and body, it's five and a half fluid ounces."
✓Yay
63%Guru Score
"I love how I love the finish. It doesn't leave you with a white cast, it's lightweight, and it does not sting. Like, if I want to put some on my eyelids here, no sting at all. [...] It's a chemical-based sunscreen, great for skin of color. If you have trouble finding a sunscreen that blends into your skin, I really like this one. I'm going to go to Hawaii soon and I'm definitely going to bring this with me. I [...] want to recommend products that do work for most skin types and most people."
✓Yay
75%Guru Score
Serums54 reviews
"I could never recommend this product or just any niacinamide serum, even if it's made by La Roche-Posay. Niacinamide at high percentages at 10, 15, 20% is just way too high. Just like too much of a good thing is not good. In studies all you need are 2 to 4% of niacinamide to help regulate sebum, help with brightening the skin and repairing the skin barrier."
✕Nay
69%Guru Score
"So instead of buying one of my favorite serums like Skinceuticals C E Ferulic or Timeless Vitamin C, which costs over $160, you might want to try out the vitamin C serum by CeraVe first to see if you like vitamin C. For a 10% l-ascorbic acid serum at $15.95, this is a great deal. It has the three essential ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin B5 or panthenol, which is one of my favorite ingredients that helps with moisturizing, hydrating, and supporting the skin barrier."
✓Yay
70%Guru Score
"Vichy LiftActiv has 16% l-ascorbic acid, so it's higher than CeraVe, and instead of paying $35, we see a deal at $23 on Prime Day. [...] This is one of my favorite hydrating vitamin C serums. It's like taking the hyaluronic acid step and vitamin C and combining them, and you just plump up your skin and then follow up with a moisturizer and your sunscreen. If you're not using vitamin C serum and you want something hydrating, definitely keep an eye on this for the holidays."
✓Yay
73%Guru Score
"I have to say even though I love the brand, very disappointing. My patients haven't seen much improvement in their dark spots with it. I've used it and it does not even compare to hydroquinone. So this is one deal I would pass on. [...] If the B5 ever goes on sale, I would rather go with their hyaluronic acid serum, not their Mela B3."
✕Nay
67%Guru Score
"I hope Eucerin can take out the fragrance or just tone it down. A fragrance-free option would be great [...] because we never want to cause a rash that leads to dark spots and worsening hyperpigmentation. So I'd [...] have to cut this fragrance product, not thamol as a molecule or as an ingredient. That said, I've had patients truly happy with this to use on their breaks from hydroquinone because you can't use hydroquinone all the time."
✕Nay
72%Guru Score
"Even if it's hydrated, those fragments of collagen aren't going to be cell signalers like [...] peptide moisturizers. [...] I would keep this with context—they are fine to use for special occasions when you want that extra glow up, like before a special segment or event. But [...] I would be very careful if you have acne prone skin, because you don't want to trap acne causing bacteria in your pores."
~Mixed
65%Guru Score
"Timeless is a very popular brand in my comment section. A lot of people are raving about that twenty-dollar serum that's 20% [L-ascorbic] acid."
✓Yay
71%Guru Score
"I've been using Obagi's 20% vitamin C Professional C Serum. It's great."
✓Yay
74%Guru Score
"For a brightening product in the morning, [...] I like Vichy Liftactiv 16% Vitamin C Serum because it has hyaluronic acid that will also plump up your skin. So you're almost getting a two-in-one product there."
✓Yay
83%Guru Score
"SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic. [...] Get about five to six drops of your serum onto your face and to your neck, and that's probably enough, and then just put your sunscreen over it to seal it all in. That is going to be great at brightening your skin."
✓Yay
77%Guru Score
"But, if you have sensitive skin, go for something with a vitamin C derivative like RoC, Naturium."
✓Yay
80%Guru Score
"Naturium, which is very good for those with dry, dehydrated skin. Very hydrating. I love that airtight pump product, and it's probably my favorite product in the Naturium line."
✓Yay
86%Guru Score
"One of my favorite body moisturizers because it comes in a nice jar, a little goes a long way. Urea is a nice humectant that draws in water, but also is a keratolytic that will peel away dead skin and exfoliate gently dead skin. So if you have dry, thickened elbows or knees, feet, hands, you can go ahead and use this Advanced Repair Cream on those areas, and the urea will really come to the rescue and make your skin nice and soft."
✓Yay
87%Guru Score
"If you want a pure hyaluronic acid serum to apply in the morning before going out and you want that glowy look, Vichy Mineral 89 is great."
✓Yay
83%Guru Score
"I've recently have liked Neutrogena's collagen bank with [L-ascorbic] acid"
✓Yay
70%Guru Score
"If you want more of a plumping action, I love the La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5. But it does have fragrance. For me, I love the fragrance. It smells very nostalgic to me."
✓Yay
75%Guru Score
"The RoC Revive and Glow Vitamin C Serum is one I've talked a lot about. It does have a slight citrus fragrance to it. I don't mind it."
✓Yay
71%Guru Score
"Cocokind's Ceramide Barrier Serum has a cult following, and I can totally see why. It's one of the most gentle, modern barrier support options out there. It's lightweight. It has ceramides just like in the name. And ceramides are part of the glue that hold those bricks together, it's part of the mortar. So you want to replenish your lipid matrix with the ceramides and strengthen your skin barrier."
✓Yay
86%Guru Score
"Neutrogena Hydroboost has done a great job with their hydrating cream. [...] It's good for those with oily to combination skin. If you want something that's very lightweight, layers well with makeup, layers well with your retinoid or your vitamin C serum. It's packed with hyaluronic acid. So if you want a nice hydrating cream just to seal all that in, go with the Hydroboost by Neutrogena."
✓Yay
83%Guru Score
"And so when they came out with this firming stick, I love it. It will not replace surgical lifting and pulling back for like a facelift, but it's something to do at bedtime in your routine if you want to tighten up those areas or help preserve the collagen in those areas. I think it's a great thing. [...] This stick, it just makes it so easy to roll on very quickly before you head to bed. Also very travel friendly."
✓Yay
77%Guru Score
"Vanicream has made a stabilized derivative that's very gentle on the skin."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"And the newer ones, you know, like [Cetaphil], Neutrogena, they've done a pretty good job with theirs, too."
✓Yay
71%Guru Score
"I love The Ordinary, all very popular hyaluronic acid serums."
✓Yay
75%Guru Score
"I love The Inkey List, a very popular Hyaluronic Acid Serum. Hyaluronic acid is a carbohydrate that draws in water like a sponge. It's a water magnet. It tries to plump up the skin."
✓Yay
86%Guru Score
"This needleless serum is very hydrating."
✓Yay
79%Guru Score
"I've been using the one by Avène recently, the RetrinAL. Very good applying that on the face at bedtime and gentle, but more potent than retinol."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"It's saccharine at first and then it becomes this floral ginger scent, which I think is overpowering. Right off the bat, I think that Olay needs to change that. They need to take out the fragrance or tone it down big time because I can imagine a lot of my patients with sensitive skin or rosacea getting irritation from this. [...] The texture is great and it rubs in really well with no sticky residue, and when I apply my sunscreen or moisturizer over this, there's no peeling."
✕Nay
72%Guru Score
"My favorite product of 2024 my wife and I love this new peptide Serum by skin cuticals the ptoo serum and I have patients on it I use it my wife uses it it's a great way to not only increase collagen production but it makes my fine lines and wrinkles on my forehead and around the eyes they seem less apparent"
✓Yay
81%Guru Score
"This one is an ethylated vitamin C derivative not ascorbic acid so one can argue that this is more stable and penetrates deeper into the skin than ascorbic acid. I like that it has niacinamide and sunflower seed oil. They use sunflower seed oil in their moisturizing cream which I love, great for conditioning the skin and is very moisturizing. This is a nice $20 Vitamin C Serum."
✓Yay
74%Guru Score
"I've talked about CA deaja that's a K Beauty brand with aoic acid up to 10% 15% and up I prescribe in clinic but 10% the max you find over the counter"
~Mixed
73%Guru Score
"This is 12% ascorbic acid plus vitamin E and [...] salicylic acid. You can combine or layer with vitamin C and they can even formulate salicylic acid with the vitamin C serum. [...] This is a good one for those who are acne prone, but if you have acne this will not treat acne. So if you're acne prone consider this one: 12% ascorbic acid with salicylic acid. If you're in your mid to late 20s and you want to check out a vitamin C serum, try this out."
✓Yay
66%Guru Score
"I like eye creams during the day with caffeine like morning time but you could go to sleep with an eye cream but I'd say it's probably for me more important to use it during the daytime sometimes I'll treat myself and put a little bit of Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado before going to bed. Avocado oil is very nourishing and moisturizing for this delicate area."
✓Yay
77%Guru Score
"I love SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Overnight Serum. Retinal is stronger than retinol. If you're not a beginner, you can try this out. If you've tolerated retinol, go for it. If you have never tried a retinol at all, go for..."
✓Yay
91%Guru Score
"Rock has made some nice hyaluronic acid capsules here that I like to travel with"
✓Yay
75%Guru Score
"The other one that's quite popular, I got in Japan when I visited last year, was the Hada Labo Hydrating Lotion. Which, this is not really a lotion, it is an essence I'd say. Comes out very, very, very lightweight. But check this out, put this on the face. That's really nice, soothing, feels nice and cool on a hot day, right on the clean skin. Very nice. It's going to plump up the skin. Again, we're going thinnest to thickest, so you would do that."
✓Yay
88%Guru Score
"Beta glucan is a very powerful humectant that is underrated. This one is a nice moisturizing cream with that hydration boost."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"It's a great hydrator, it's a great plumper. I think it plumps my skin better than the Vichy Minéral 89."
✓Yay
75%Guru Score
"The other one I've been using most recently is the La Roche-Posay Redermic R, this one's also adapalene 0.1%."
✓Yay
65%Guru Score
"I'd say their hyaluronic acid serum by CeraVe, not a winner. I've never been impressed by the texture on this. I mean, it just comes out looking a little sad there and look how it kind of peels up. Look, I can almost roll it into a ball. I mean, what's going on here? This is, I've never seen hyaluronic acid serum do that. It's usually like in a dropper bottle, but it's almost like dried up glue, Elmer's glue. Not feeling that texture at all."
✕Nay
68%Guru Score
"Cetaphil Serum with peptides is a really cool bottle. [...] Look at those beads there. Peptides I'm definitely going to incorporate at my age in my late 30s."
✓Yay
68%Guru Score
"The Ordinary makes one, The Inky List makes azelaic acid. I'm fine with those. I haven't seen my patients get irritation with those azelaic acid formulations."
✓Yay
75%Guru Score
"The inky list makes azelaic acid. I'm fine with those. I haven't seen my patients get irritation with those azelaic acid formulations."
✓Yay
92%Guru Score
"You see L Ro B has thrown txa and their glycolic B5 that one's good for dark spots"
✓Yay
79%Guru Score
"Azelaic acid you can consider, and I'd like to call out the Naturium Azelaic Acid Emulsion, it was really nice. I recommend that one for an over the counter option."
✓Yay
81%Guru Score
"Dermatology vitamin c e plus F those are great options to consider"
✓Yay
83%Guru Score
"Glow Recipe's guava vitamin C dark spot serum has a really nice texture to it, very silky smooth. You can put this on after cleansing and then follow up with your hyaluronic acid serum. You can do it in that order, it's a very popular way to use both hyaluronic acid and vitamin C. You can totally do that, they won't interact in a negative way, so you could cleanse, put your vitamin C serum, then your hyaluronic acid."
✓Yay
69%Guru Score
"After using it for several months I have to start using this a little faster now but this is a great brand."
✓Yay
68%Guru Score
"This serum doesn't have ascorbic acid, which is a very active form of vitamin C, it just has a derivative. I'd give it about a 7.5 out of 10. I think it's introducing people to great ingredients like [TXA, alpha arbutin] and vitamin C, niacinamide has a lot of good things in it, and it's for a very affordable price. If you can tolerate it and you're seeing results, go right ahead. I don't see any dangers in this. I like the price, one fluid ounce for $17, you can't beat that."
~Mixed
83%Guru Score
"Bei mineral 89 you can consider"
✓Yay
73%Guru Score
"My favorite at the moment that's very affordable is MaeLove The Glow Maker. This is a smaller brand, but it is so gentle and lightweight, I love the weightless feel of it, plus it has a nice glowy finish after applying this vitamin C serum with L-Ascorbic Acid, ferulic acid, and vitamin E."
✓Yay
80%Guru Score
"As soon as I apply this to my skin and let it set, my skin feels smoother and I get a nice glassy look. It has a blend of hyaluronic acid, the hyaluronic acid pro complex to support your natural hyaluronic acid levels, as well as [...] ceramides and niacinamide to help repair the skin barrier and reduce transepidermal water loss, and it helps promote brighter, healthier skin."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"This is another PCA Skin product that I have definitely loved. [...] I applied this after a chemical peel and wow, my skin was glowing afterwards, so I am definitely impressed by this. [...] This is an excellent peptide serum by PCA Skin, and I tend to use this at bedtime before I apply my retinoid. [...] It has Argireline, which helps reduce muscle contractions to some degree and thus minimize fine lines and wrinkles from dynamic movement, and it does not replace neuromodulating injections."
✓Yay
78%Guru Score
"They came out with a brightening serum, which I think is really cool. This has the AHA blend, niacinamide, and an ethylated vitamin C derivative. [...] I've been doing this two to three times in the first couple of weeks I got this. [...] I'm actually really excited because traditionally AmLactin is not something I recommend for the face. I always say it's too strong, can make you photosensitive, but they made a very gentle meant for the face formulation with vitamin C."
✓Yay
74%Guru Score
"Skin Better Science Alto, this one has 19 antioxidants so great. My patients love it actually. I carry this in my office just because it's so awesome."
✓Yay
86%Guru Score
Moisturizers50 reviews
"I like this a lot for my patients who are on acne medications topically and they want something lightweight. It has niacinamide to help regulate sebum production and repair the skin barrier, and so this is a nice one to layer with your acne products at bedtime."
✓Yay
88%Guru Score
"Hands down, one of my favorite splurges for moisturizers, which isn't common because a lot of times I say go for affordable moisturizers, but this one has a special place in my heart. It layers well with all of my actives, whether it's vitamin C in the morning or your retinoid at night. It just has this cooling effect. It's very nourishing. It feels great when I apply it at bedtime. It has glacial glycoprotein and squalane to help soothe and hydrate the skin."
✓Yay
90%Guru Score
"It's important to consider these for people who can't use retinoids, can't tolerate retinoids, or if they want an additional boost. I always say in your late thirties and up, you can consider throwing in a peptide moisturizer in your routine to layer over your retinol. Apply your pea-sized amount of your retinoid at bedtime and then layer over a nice peptide moisturizer to boost collagen further before going to bed. So that one I would definitely keep."
✓Yay
82%Guru Score
"The jelly cream really does look like jelly. It was really fun to apply and I actually didn't expect to like it as much as I did. The fragrance was much more toned down and very nice, sensorial experience applying it, and it wasn't overwhelming. After applying it, after each hour, I felt like that glow was sustained. My skin is a bit oilier than hers and it was really nice to just run my fingers over my forehead because it was just gliding over it like baby smooth skin."
✓Yay
49%Guru Score
"I like peptide moisturizers for those in their late thirties and up. [...] Some that come to mind would be One Skin, their OS1 peptide face supplement."
✓Yay
74%Guru Score
"This really helped save me during the winter to spring months when my skin was feeling quite dry and irritated. This Korean skin care brand has gotten popular among my viewers and patients, and it's particularly good for those with dry skin, sensitive skin, or anyone who wants to repair their skin barrier any time of year. What stood out to me was the texture, it comes out thick but melts very quickly, so it doesn't linger or feel like it's bothering you."
✓Yay
90%Guru Score
"Get Cicaplast, a rescue moisturizing balm that is so great. It has madecassoside, which is anti-inflammatory and soothing and helps with wound healing, and it also has panthenol, which is moisturizing as well as hydrating. I recommend this to use on the face, it's great as a barrier to protect from saliva pooling there and also helps soothe any irritation from the rash around the mouth. If it's still resistant despite using barrier creams or balms or ointments, then see your dermatologist."
✓Yay
92%Guru Score
"Another alternative to this would be Avène Cicalfate Restorative Protective Cream, another great rescue versatile cream that is meant for babies and adults."
✓Yay
87%Guru Score
"You can use Vanicream's moisturizer, either the regular OG moisturizer or their newer enhanced moisturizer with hyaluronic acid ceramides. Definitely consider this one if the baby has eczema."
✓Yay
89%Guru Score
"If you just have sensitive skin and you want to stick with a brand that's just very reliable for those with sensitive skin, Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer works so well for my patients."
✓Yay
85%Guru Score
"Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Cream or the water gel are very plumping because they are filled with hyaluronic acid. If you apply that to damp skin, it's going to help plump up your skin and temporarily hide those fine lines and wrinkles very well. That's one of my wife's favorite moisturizers."
✓Yay
87%Guru Score
"CeraVe Moisturizing Cream is still one of my all-time favorite moisturizers, whether that's the Moisturizing Cream in the jar or the moisturizing lotion in the pump. [...] But there are definitely patients who come in and say CeraVe burns my face. [...] When you have a compromised skin barrier, you're going to feel different sensations: irritation, redness, tightness, even burning and stinging, especially with gentle moisturizers like CeraVe."
✓Yay
83%Guru Score
"One of my favorite body moisturizers for eczema would be La Roche-Posay Lipikar AP+M, that works on the microbiome. There is a disregulation of the microbiome when it comes to eczema. You're going to be able to increase proteins to fight the bad bacteria that's causing inflammation and also upregulate good bacteria to help protect the skin barrier. You can actually use it to slug your cuticles for nail health. [...] You can also slug your face before going to sleep or starting off your day."
✓Yay
88%Guru Score
"La Roche-Posay Lipikar Lotion with Urea is 10% urea. Urea is so great at drawing in water and also gently exfoliating dead skin cells, so I really love this product. It's great to start off with, especially applied after a shower, and it will help with those dry, ashy knees and elbows. If you want to slug it and apply petrolatum over that, it will really help lock everything in, and you'll wake up with much smoother skin. For dry shins, urea-based moisturizers are a very similar recommendation."
✓Yay
83%Guru Score
"Eucerin's roughness relief, [...] urea is in Eucerin and the product. Urea is so great at drawing in water and also gently exfoliating dead skin cells. So I really love those products. Those are great to start off with, especially applying after a shower. It will help with those dry, ashy knees and elbows."
✓Yay
85%Guru Score
"If you're already doing a retinol and tolerating it well, consider a retinaldehyde. Some great picks I'd consider would be Avène's RetrinAL. They make a nice retinol for the face."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"I mean, I was praising Vanicream at the American Academy of Dermatology. They've done such a great job with this product. [...] It feels nice. Even my social media manager, Olivia, she was just like, "This is my new favorite moisturizer." So, I have to agree that this was a home run for them. You can use it for your kids, for your adults, you can use it for yourselves and for your kids. So, big thumbs up. I'm so glad they added this to their line."
✓Yay
83%Guru Score
"I'm also introducing peptide moisturizers into my routine as someone in their late 30s. I started retinoid in my mid-20s, which I say is a good time. Vitamin C serum early 30s, I would have started though late 20s, and then now in my late 30s I say a peptide moisturizer is a perfect time. So either Neutrogena collagen bank, Ntorium's Multipeptide Moisturizer..."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"One of my favorite moisturizers to layer over your retinoid would be Neutrogena's Hydro Boost Gel Cream. Neutrogena has done a great job with it because it's packed with hyaluronic acid and it's one of my wife's favorite moisturizers. We have these that signature blue jar all over our house and it just layers really well. No heavy residue, very lightweight, and [...] just having a hydrating moisturizer is one of the best ways to hide fine lines and wrinkles."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"The Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream is a classic one. [...] I really come to like this one. And I love looking at the studies from Galerma looking at corneometry studies transepidermal water loss. It will minimize transepidermal water loss with their three key ingredients. You have niacinamide, glycerin and panthenol all working well together. Niacinamide helps regulate sebum, it helps repair the skin barrier in low concentrations."
✓Yay
79%Guru Score
"It's going for like 35 to 40 bucks for a pack of two. Great deal. [...] It's very similar but very good. [...] Has hyaluronic acid. It has pro collagen amino acids to support firmness and absorbs really well. Great for those who have oilier skin types, combination skin types. So if you want something lightweight, absorbs very quickly, doesn't have a greasy, heavy feel. This one's going to help plump up your skin with that hyaluronic acid and temporarily hide those fine lines and wrinkles."
✓Yay
81%Guru Score
"I talked to the scientists at Galderma. They sent me the evidence behind it. They're pairing mandelic acid with mandelic acid in this firming cream. And they found that they synergistically work together to clear out senescent cells and increase collagen and increase dermal thickness and epidermal thickness in the skin. So this helps with crepey skin of the neck, your elbows, your knees. So a nice moisturizer that you can even use on your face too at an affordable price."
✓Yay
90%Guru Score
"I've loved this cream. It's so nice. I've even brought it to my face as a facial moisturizer to layer over my retinoid. [...] You can have your retinoid game on your face and then follow up with a peptide moisturizer like NeoStrata, not just for your neck, but also on your face to get that collagen boosting. It is lightweight yet rich. It has glucosamine in addition to peptides. Just an overall great moisturizer."
✓Yay
79%Guru Score
"In the summertime, do consider a lightweight lotion to keep your moisturizing game up. You don't want a thick occlusive suffocating moisturizing cream. And so the Moisturizing Lotion by Cetaphil is great."
✓Yay
85%Guru Score
"The other moisturizer that I appreciate that's very gentle when I have dry irritated skin and I have no idea what else to put on besides Vaseline is the Aveeno Restorative Protective Cream to help soothe the skin and repair the skin barrier. It minimizes redness as well and it's very soothing."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"Talking about traditional peptide moisturizers, do they work? Not really in the way people think. They are cell signalers typically. So you get the palmitoyl pentapeptide 4, tripeptides 1 and 7. Those [...] peptides [...] will pretty much give the text instructions to your fibroblast and skin cells to make more collagen in your dermis or second layer and does help with fine lines and wrinkles."
✓Yay
91%Guru Score
"CeraVe Oil Control Moisturizing Gel Cream is great for oily skin."
✓Yay
67%Guru Score
"I like niacinamide in my products like the La Roche-Posay Toleriane matte moisturizer. It's great for skin brightening to some degree, but it's not your main player. It's not going to replace vitamin C. It's not going to replace a prescription retinoid for decreasing dark spots. It can be effective in repairing your skin barrier and reducing sebum production in small amounts when it's mixed into your product."
✓Yay
87%Guru Score
"With the moisturizers being so important in your 40s because we start to get drier skin, it's important to get your moisturizer game up, getting really good nourishing moisturizers and consider those with peptides now because peptides are cell signalers and they will tell your skin to make more skin, thicker skin. [...] Cetaphil and Neutrogena are affordable options with peptides in their moisturizers."
✓Yay
90%Guru Score
"I like this more than vitamin E or onion extract with Mederma, those have very mixed results to not impressive results."
✕Nay
51%Guru Score
"The peptides in this one, I'm hoping will work on increasing collagen production. For my staff who have very dry skin, they've particularly loved this moisturizer. It comes out in a nice pump that's fun to dispense your cream out of, kind of reminds me of Bubble Skin Care or SkinFix, that airtight pump that you push down on the top and it dispenses it into a semiflow shape. It's very nourishing and thick."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"First Aid Beauty makes a nice firming cream with niacinamide and peptides."
✓Yay
74%Guru Score
"You can consider Number Seven's Restore and Renew Face and Neck. This one's a nice moisturizer with SPF and then bring it down of course to your neck as well. A nice texture there to seal in your hyaluronic acid serum."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"The secret repair snail cream by Neogen, snail mucin is packed with hyaluronic acid and so if you want a moisturizer with that snail mucin texture that is thicker than, say, Cosrx's Essence Power Essence with snail mucin, go with this moisturizer here. That also just leaves you with a nice dewy finish as well that just disappears just after a few swipes, so you can see that's leaving a nice glassy skin look."
✓Yay
76%Guru Score
"The inky list makes a nice Peptide Moisturizer so those peptides will be a cell signal or to tell your skin to make more collagen which is excellent right we want to do that in addition to retinol retinoids by like say skin better science those will help increase collagen production that's our goal is to increase the thickness of our dermis and increase collagen."
✓Yay
81%Guru Score
"Neutrogena's new daily facial moisturizer has panthenol and niacinamide and vitamin E antioxidant. It comes out more of a cream to lotion texture and [...] is very lightweight. I've been enjoying that one a lot and it disappears quite quickly too. So you can go ahead and do the same strategy where you kind of put dots on your face and moisturize or just get a good dollop out in your hands and distribute it evenly on your face."
✓Yay
74%Guru Score
"Their eye cream or Eye Serum is not very good"
✕Nay
69%Guru Score
"CeraVe is nice. It's great for moisturizing after retinoids. You want a moisturizing cream where there's options like CeraVe, and it works well in the retinol sandwich method where you apply your moisturizer, then your retinoid, then follow up with another layer of moisturizer."
✓Yay
79%Guru Score
"Vanicream is a very affordable brand if you have sensitive skin. It's a daily moisturizing so good, works well with actives, works well with retinol at bedtime. But during the day if you want to use that in the morning after your serums go right ahead, it feels great."
✓Yay
77%Guru Score
"I've talked about on the channel Olay Peptide 24 Moisturizer, which is another niacinamide containing moisturizer with peptides."
✓Yay
82%Guru Score
"It's much thicker, feels more nourishing. I'd rather use this one in the winter time when I want a thicker moisturizer. It rubs in really well, doesn't pill, layers well with serums and subsequent sunscreens. Skin feels nice and silky smooth. I have to give this one an 8 out of 10. [...] Bubble did a good job with this one. No niacinamide in this one, [...] but that avocado oil I think is working really nice in this moisturizer."
✓Yay
83%Guru Score
"And it doesn't have any offensive smells. This is good, I like this one a lot. I'm going to give this one an 8 out of 10. I think Bubble did a great job with this moisturizer. I actually have patients who come in who are on my prescription acne medications and they want to use this. I'm going to say go right ahead. It's lightweight, I don't see anything offensive in it, so I think their moisturizers are spot on."
✓Yay
85%Guru Score
"Naturium makes a moisturizing cream with peptides. It's nice to have peptides in your skincare so it's just like getting that collagen boost because peptides are cell signaling they can tell your skin to make more collagen, which is nice. If you can't do a retinoid, consider other things like this."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"I like snail mucin quite a bit because snail mucin is full of hyaluronic acid. I like the cream version of this too but it was in a tub but now I hear it's in a tube. The jar was pretty messy where the jar lid would come up and all the slime would come up with it and it get real messy but now if it comes in a tube I'm glad COSRX changed that because I really do like the texture of the cream."
✓Yay
74%Guru Score
"Eucerin has urea which is a humectant that draws in water and it's a keratolytic so it's very nice for those with dry thick elbows knees dry cracked heels and KP. It's one of my favorites for keratosis pilaris."
✓Yay
82%Guru Score
"Eucerin makes the Intensive Repair Lotion, and it has a lot of urea in it to help really soften plaques in the bottom of the feet. Urea is a great humectant that draws in water but it's also a keratolytic that will break up dead skin and help it peel away more readily. It's one of my favorite body moisturizers."
✓Yay
85%Guru Score
"This cream feels rich, much more rich than the serum. I'd put this as the last moisturizing step in an evening routine, and during the day sunscreen goes over it very well and layers without peeling. Panthenol and humectants are much less glamorous than salmon DNA, but they show up on a daily basis in terms of plumping and hydrating the skin."
✓Yay
Notverified
"With this [...] gel finish it just melts in quickly into the skin and I just love how it can be mattifying but also makes my skin feel plump and hydrated. It spreads very easily without leaving a heavy sheen, which is important since I'm layering sunscreen over it. I also love how portable this product is, I was able to travel with it easily. [...] For all my friends out there with combination oily skin like myself, especially in the summertime, this product is for you."
✓Yay
65%Guru Score
"I've mentioned it on my channel for many years, and it has quietly earned a permanent place in my practice. It's hands down the best retinoid I can recommend that does not require a prescription, one of the gold standard retinoids with over 10 years of transformative results. I've rated it 10 out of 10. It hasn't made a name for itself through viral trends, but is relied upon by professionals who care about real outcomes, long-term skin health, and consistency."
✓Yay
83%Guru Score
"It's very cooling too. As soon as it hits my skin it has a nice cooling sensation. So if you have irritated skin, if you have some dry skin this winter, fall, with the heaters on drawing out all the moisture from your face, this feels like it was in the fridge, but really it was at room temperature and I put it on my hand and that cooling gel was just a nice experience. I like that it doesn't make your face too shiny. So if you have oily skin, great for oily skin, very lightweight."
✓Yay
75%Guru Score
Retinoids34 reviews
"It's been tried and true and a lot of my patients love it. It's very gentle, has no fragrance, no dyes, and it's also with a moisturizer, so it's not too drying and people tolerate it well. [...] You have the niacinamide to help brighten the skin and support the skin barrier, a triple peptide blend to help with firming and cell-to-cell adhesion, plus the signal to increase collagen production, and the retinol that's going to boost collagen."
✓Yay
70%Guru Score
"CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum is a nice over-the-counter option combining retinol and retinaldehyde, which is much more unstable and can be hard to formulate, but CeraVe has done a good job with it."
✓Yay
83%Guru Score
"You can consider La Roche Posay's Retinol B3 also with niacinamide as a good over-the-counter retinoid option."
✓Yay
60%Guru Score
"For beginners, you can do the Max Hydration if you want something fragrance-free."
✓Yay
87%Guru Score
"May Love Moonlight Super Serum is another retinaldehyde that I like, and that's probably the first retinaldehyde product I've been exposed to, and I love that one. It has a nice cool color, as well, and so gentle and hydrating. May Love has done a great job with their products."
✓Yay
80%Guru Score
"I've talked about Naturium quite a bit. I love their vitamin C serum. Their vitamin C complex is hydrating, but they've done a great job with their retinaldehyde, as well. It has a nice cool yellowish color, and that's actually the color of the retinal. And it's actually hard to formulate retinaldehyde because it's"
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"I'll alternate my strong tretinoin, that's prescription, with an over-the-counter retinol like Number 7's I've been doing"
✓Yay
81%Guru Score
"I just been introduced to it last year. I love that stuff. It's great. And retinaldehyde is theoretically more potent than retinol. Not as potent as tretinoin though."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"I like Olay, that's fragrance-free, rock their max hydration in the jar."
✓Yay
75%Guru Score
"You just apply it for like 20 minutes and you let sit there, take it off and you just have this dewy glow. And I have not had any irritation after using it for quite some time. And I have to say that that's the biggest challenge is to get a nice product that will give you that glow without the irritation because a lot of times people associate irritation with a retinoid. And so if we can go at it in a gentle way and have something a little bit more potent than retinol."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"I believe adapalene 0.1% and 0.3% work better on these blackheads and whiteheads and also inflammatory acne like tretinoin and tazarotene. So I would go with adapalene."
✓Yay
94%Guru Score
"I would go with the adapalene, which is made by Differin gel or La Roche-Posay's Effaclar 0.1% gel. Both are fine. Don't buy both. Just use one and don't layer it with your retinol. They're all retinoids, so you don't want to overdo it and cause an irritant contact dermatitis. So just choose one and have a clear goal in mind, whether it's clogged pores or you want to work on fine lines or wrinkles. [...] If you have clogged pores, go with the adapalene route."
✓Yay
86%Guru Score
"You can get a serum by Olay Retinol 24, their cream is also good, and what retinoids do is a vitamin A derivative that will increase collagen production and increase cell turnover so it will help with those fine lines and wrinkles."
✓Yay
70%Guru Score
"They have to do a over-the-counter retinol like Olay retinol or say rocks retinol they have to stick with that something more gentle less potent to tolerate it"
✓Yay
65%Guru Score
"What I like about it is that it's affordable. Costco has a great deal, a two-for-one deal at times, and recently at my local Costco I was able to find this on the two-for-one deal, but it's not all the time. It has niacinamide in addition to its retinol complex, which is retinyl and retinol, and you have those two nice retinols put together, which is very tolerable and very gentle if you have sensitive skin."
✓Yay
76%Guru Score
"SkinCeuticals has a 1% retinol. So those things you can look into for increasing the retinol game."
✓Yay
71%Guru Score
"Number Seven goes up to 1% pure retinol."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"Neutrogena has made a nice regenerating cream. Their 1% is a rock, always one of my favorite over-the-counter retinols that you can consider. That was the first brand I used when I was a derm resident. You just use a pea-sized amount at bedtime."
✓Yay
83%Guru Score
"Rock was the first retinol that I ever tried and it's very affordable with no fragrance. They've done a great job with the retinol. I've enjoyed alternating retinol with my prescription tretinoin, and for myself personally, especially in the winter time when things start to get dry and sensitive on the face, I'm going to use a retinol. Rock has always been one of my favorite OGs in my routine."
✓Yay
81%Guru Score
"Rock is the first retinol I ever used as a Dermatology resident, so this is a brand that is very near and dear to me. This is their Max Hydration, their fragrance-free retinol. A pea size amount for your entire face, half a pea for your neck. Break it up into two dots on the face. I like to put a little extra on my forehead and on my nose because it can take it, it's more hearty skin. [...] It's all you need all year round. [...] Continue your pea-sized amount into the summer as well."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"It's a 1% pure retinol and [...] they have peptides in the retinol to help boost collagen further. [...] I like that. [...] The thing that gave me good feedback is that it dried my face when I put it on consistently for a whole week, and when I have dryness from a retinoid it does remind me of tretinoin, which is increasing cell turnover like no other. [...] When I start getting dryness it actually gives me feedback saying hey it's doing something."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"When they first came out with the retinol oil they had said you can layer your retinol oil by Neutrogena with their regenerating cream. Now their retinol oil has disclosed 0.3% strength and their serums have 0.5% in strength. They also disclose the strength of their retinol. [...] I would not layer those. I would not layer an oil, the serum with the cream. I would just stick to one."
✕Nay
68%Guru Score
"This one has niacinamide peptide complex and your retinol, so this is very gentle. Just a tiny amount is all you need to treat your whole face. It seems like not enough, but I promise it's enough. Kiehl's has made a nice night serum. This one packs a bigger punch than their other one that has peptide, but this one is the fast-release wrinkle-reducing night serum, so this one is really nice."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"Neutrogena recently came out with an adap 0.1%"
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"Naturium has come up with a nice Retinol Serum if you want a retinol."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"L'Oreal Revitalift Retinol B3 is a great option for you if you're looking for a nice serum. It's in a dropper bottle."
✓Yay
82%Guru Score
"This is the OG that I'm most used to and you can either get it fragrance free or fragrance. This one's a fragrance free version. Very affordable, 30 something bucks for these. For a retinol, this anti-aging, you're going to pay a little bit more for it."
✓Yay
88%Guru Score
"There's also a micro do serum for those who are beginners those are both really good"
✓Yay
89%Guru Score
"If you wanted to go with The Ordinary, that's quite popular. I actually did not like their retinols. Their retinols felt too oily, greasy. It just didn't feel nice going on on my skin."
✕Nay
79%Guru Score
"It was nice to have RoC's retinol all during the winter and I could alternate, like one day tretinoin, other day over the counter RoC. They've always had a special place in my heart. I like their retinol. The one I use was the RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream and that one's heavily fragranced. I still like it but it is quite strong, the fragrance."
✓Yay
76%Guru Score
"If you're a teenager you don't need Drunk Elephant's retinol unless you see a dermatologist and you have acne and there are better acne medications than Drunk Elephant's retinol."
✕Nay
55%Guru Score
"Biossance makes a Retinol for all that has a retinol and retinal aldehyde combination that's also a nice one."
✓Yay
89%Guru Score
"You can consider CeraVe Skin Renewing Retinol Serum if you want something over the counter. I'm still able to tolerate my Alpharet, but sometimes you might not be able to do that every night, so you might want to alternate that with something like an over the counter retinol."
✓Yay
74%Guru Score
"The inky list came out with this recently I've always loved their other retinol that came out you know a few years back now they have a whole 1% retinol [...] this one actually does pack a punch cuz I've used it and it has caused dryness when I use it every day for a whole week which is fine you know dryness is okay with your retinol but when it when it has it gives me dryness I know there is something to it that means it is quite potent"
✓Yay
70%Guru Score
Cleansers23 reviews
"I like CeraVe's cleansers for all ages really. For my patients who are on acne medications, I always tell them because the medications are drying, you want to have a great hydrating cleanser that will do its job cleansing the skin of debris, sunscreen, and makeup really well without stripping your skin of its natural oils and disrupting the skin barrier. CeraVe has three essential ceramides that are identical to our ceramides, and so I really like this brand for the value."
✓Yay
85%Guru Score
"For patients with more combination to oilier skin types, I like La Roche-Posay's Toleriane Purifying Foaming Cleanser, that blue bottle. It also has niacinamide to help regulate sebum production [...] and support the skin barrier, and ceramide which helps support the skin barrier."
✓Yay
86%Guru Score
"CeraVe's Cream to Foam Cleanser is also nice at removing makeup and good for those with multiple different skin types, whether it's combination to dry. I think that's a really nice cleanser."
✓Yay
78%Guru Score
"For those with oilier skin, I recommend the Cetaphil daily cleanser."
✓Yay
81%Guru Score
"For traveling, use Vanicream's body wash or even their facial cleanser instead of the heavily fragranced stuff at the hotel. The facial cleanser is so gentle that I used to use it as a body wash for my kids when they were younger."
✓Yay
92%Guru Score
"If you have oilier skin types, you might want to go with a gel cleanser like Neutrogena's Hydroboost gel cleanser."
✓Yay
78%Guru Score
"Vanicream came out with the Z-Bar which you can use to wash your face if you have seborrheic dermatitis of your face and that's a gentle fragrance-free cleanser. That was a big move on their part to make a fragrance-free shampoo but it will definitely benefit those who have very sensitive skin, especially facial seborrheic dermatitis."
✓Yay
76%Guru Score
"Different though if you're using an exfoliating cleanser. If you're using an exfoliating cleanser with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, that's okay cuz that's my routine. I'll do that at nighttime."
✓Yay
81%Guru Score
"Those are great cleansers to alternate by the day to help exfoliate and keep your pores clear without destroying your skin's moisture barrier."
✓Yay
89%Guru Score
"So, instead of using pore vacuums, I recommend keeping your pores clear with a nice exfoliating cleanser without beads, something with salicylic acid, whether it's Cetaphil's gentle exfoliating SA cleanser or CeraVe's acne control cleanser."
✓Yay
82%Guru Score
"You can use an exfoliating cleanser with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, whether it's CeraVe's salicylic acid cleanser or Cetaphil's gentle exfoliating cleanser. Those are great."
✓Yay
75%Guru Score
"For my sample closet, I picked out La Roche-Posay Effaclar 2% gel cleanser. Patients love this. I like to use that after the gym. You can use it on your body and not just on your face."
✓Yay
88%Guru Score
"CeraVe makes a nice creamy foaming wash that has 4% benzoyl peroxide. So different brands that have made nice benzoyl peroxide products that you can consider that's exfoliating and also kills the bacteria that's feeding off of the trapped sebum leading to acne. So I actually have both in my bathroom and I will alternate between the two."
✓Yay
76%Guru Score
"When you see foaming you think that's more for oily skin, but this one's actually [...] for dry, sensitive skin. This is good for those who wear makeup or water resistant sunscreen. This might be a little bit better at removing that type of material than the gentle skin cleanser. [...] You have to rinse this off for the amino acid technology to fully work. It's very nice to use this without stripping the skin barrier."
✓Yay
83%Guru Score
"I like the K Beauty COSRX salicylic acid cleanser."
✓Yay
70%Guru Score
"This one unfortunately made my face feel squeaky clean for the last few times I've used it. I bought this over a month ago and I did not like it. It was just way too drying. It felt too tight on my face afterwards. I have combination skin, [...] and it was just not good for my skin. [...] It does have soothing ingredients like aloe, it has glycerin which is hydrating, it has lavender and spearmint leaf. I take caution in brands that really push botanical ingredients."
✕Nay
70%Guru Score
"Here pinoxo has a 10 benzoyl peroxide I like benzoyl peroxide because it mildly exfoliates and its antimicrobial kills a bacteria that causes acne"
✓Yay
77%Guru Score
"This is two percent salicylic acids like skin fix this is a very good brand"
✓Yay
80%Guru Score
"The 10 by Differin benzoyl peroxide cleanser is nice. Just be careful with benzoyl peroxide when you use it to wash your face and body. You want to make sure it's all off before you put your clothes on or you dry yourself with towels because that will definitely bleach your stuff."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"If you have a dry, sensitive skin, I like La Roche-Posay's Toleriane Hydrating Cleanser. It has niacinamide and ceramide."
✓Yay
83%Guru Score
"For oilier skin, I like to use foaming or gel cleansers, and a nice affordable option would be CeraVe's foaming cleanser."
✓Yay
79%Guru Score
"If you have dry sensitive skin, definitely don't use hand soap, you don't want squeaky clean skin. Things that come to mind would be Cetaphil's Gentle Skin Cleanser with niacinamide, glycerin, and panthenol."
✓Yay
80%Guru Score
"That pore strip that was sent to me from Biore actually was way too traumatizing. I've been telling my patients, don't do it, okay? Don't go after your pores with those tools. Yes, it seems very satisfying and gratifying like the pore strip, but it is too traumatizing to the skin. I've seen a few young patients come in with permanent broken blood vessels, tangictas in areas where they try to suction the pores and get all that junk out."
✕Nay
56%Guru Score
Other23 reviews
"For reapplication, you could use Neutrogena's stick which I've been using a lot."
✓Yay
82%Guru Score
"I alternate with Skin Sudicles CE Furuic, their new enhanced formula."
✓Yay
83%Guru Score
"Supergoop, their Mattescreen, they came out with different shades, so that's great because not one shade fits all skin tones, and so I use the sunrise, but they also have golden hour and sunset. If you want to blur out the pores, you want a matte finish and you have oilier skin, go for the Mattescreen. So good job to Supergoop for that."
✓Yay
82%Guru Score
"My only critique is that it only contains titanium dioxide, which is not great at capturing longer wavelengths of UVA, so I'd say probably go with the other ones that have zinc oxide instead. I really challenge La Roche-Posay to put some zinc oxide into their Anthelios mineral tinted, [...] because we want better longwave coverage, since longer wavelengths of UVA go deeper into the skin and can influence collagen."
~Mixed
69%Guru Score
"I use Desitin, the purple, the max strength that has a higher percentage of zinc oxide, which is very soothing, anti-inflammatory. I'll just put a small amount on the behind when I did any kind of diaper change, to protect that skin as much as possible, especially if the baby is having loose stools or frequent diarrhea. [...] My top two would have to be Desitin the purple, not the blue, and Boudreaux's Butt Paste."
✓Yay
82%Guru Score
"SkinCeuticals Silymarin CF has been a standout. It's nice for those with acne prone skin, oilier skin types. It has the milk thistle extract, silymarin antioxidant that works well with your vitamin C and vitamin E in that serum to work on regulating sebum. You don't want to have more sebum to add to the acne causing bacteria. It will help regulate that while brightening your skin."
✓Yay
82%Guru Score
"The most affordable I found is Scar Away. You can get this at your local drugstore or on Amazon. Silicone is interesting because the texture of this is very thick. It has this very nice film that you can just apply over the scar. [...] By having a nice film over your scar, it's going to keep a nice homeostasis, a nice equilibrium. You won't be telling your fibroblast to make more of a good thing, too much scar tissue. And so it actually keeps it nice and flat."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"If you want to spray your face down with the La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water or Avène Thermal Spring Water, go ahead."
✓Yay
72%Guru Score
"If you want to spray your face down with the Avène Thermal Spring Water, go ahead."
✓Yay
65%Guru Score
"Also, avoid basitracin, triple antibiotic, polysporin. All of those have to be removed from the shelf. Like we said, keep it simple. Don't put any of these in your first aid kits. And if you were to ask me what's the worst ingredient in these, it would have to be neomycin over bacitracin. But if I were to rank the worst, neomycin is the worst, most allergenic over bacitracin. But I do see a lot of bacitracin allergies. And these contact dermatitis rashes can be quite serious and very blistering."
✕Nay
61%Guru Score
"I actually like Betadine quite a bit for cleaning wounds. It's less traumatic and harsh on skin cells. Dermatologists like Betadine so much that some skin surgeons will actually tell their patients postoperatively to clean the site with Betadine and they still turn out with great looking scars."
✓Yay
72%Guru Score
"Hiboc Cleanse is a great medicated cleanser. It has chlorhexidine gluconate which is a powerful antiseptic. I actually use that when I'm going to do an excision. [...] You can just buy this over the counter and if you use it on your underarms, it kills the bacteria that causes body odor. But I do worry about bacterial resistance and how we're going to develop new bacteria that are going to be resistant to such a great antiseptic that I only use in special cases to clean a surgical area."
~Mixed
66%Guru Score
"I've been really enjoying it. It also has panthenol and colloidal oatmeal in this product, so it's really hydrating and also soothing for those with irritated skin in the winter time when your skin feels quite impaired. Panthenol is a very special ingredient in products where it's hydrating and moisturizing at the same time. I've been really impressed by Beauty of Joseon."
✓Yay
89%Guru Score
"This one I feel it's quite hydrating and plumping. My critique for the Mineral 89 OG is that yes it is great for sensitive skin but I didn't find it as plumping as say the La Roche Posay Baume B5. This one though is a little bit thicker and more plumping and I love that it has niacinamide in it and it's accessible at your local Target or online."
✓Yay
85%Guru Score
"I like Vanicream deodorant quite a bit."
✓Yay
81%Guru Score
"It's called Aklief, it's [trifarotene], it's another retinoid so it acts similar to tretinoin and retinol but this one is a little bit lighter. It's more of a lotion than a cream and I find that it goes on really well for chest and back if you ever get any body acne or can also help with anti-aging in that sense too. [...] I definitely don't see it being as drying as the tretinoin at all. I still do put moisturizer over it but I don't feel as though I need to."
✓Yay
74%Guru Score
"SkinCeuticals also has a really nice serum called the Phloretin CF where you've got 10% ascorbic acid, ferulic acid, plus you have phloretin so you have a different combination of antioxidants that are just so nice. I like that one a lot."
✓Yay
89%Guru Score
"Tazorac has more of a punch and can cause more dryness and irritation than tretinoin."
~Mixed
57%Guru Score
"If you're in your 40s and 50s and you want something with a peptide or if you want more lipid rich more nourishing moisturizer you're going to go for a higher price point you're going to go for Skinceuticals their lipid moisturizer is very popular"
✓Yay
77%Guru Score
"This is a solid product, only 30 something bucks you can get at your local store like say at Target or Amazon. It's a really nice product to consider to add to your regimen. The only downside would really be if your acne is out of its league, you've got to go see a dermatologist. It's not a magic bullet. If you have deep cystic bumps, that's something you'd need to see a dermatologist for. This is good for superficial acne, but it's a great product."
✓Yay
76%Guru Score
"The one I talk about a lot on the channel is SkinBetter Science Intensive AlphaRet or just the regular OG AlphaRet. This is nice because it's a retinoid with alpha hydroxy acids like lactic acid and it has glycolic acid. If you go at the Intensive AlphaRet, that's more glycolic acid than the AlphaRet that just has a smaller percentage of glycolic acid."
✓Yay
69%Guru Score
"I've used Sleep and Glow and I've worked with them in the past for sponsored videos and they make a beauty pillow that cradles the face."
✓Yay
Notverified
"I'll use a SkinBetter Science Solo Hydrating Defense which you can use morning and night but this is a nice thing to put on over your retinoid. It kind of has like that tinted look there and this also has antioxidants as well."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
Body & Tan19 reviews
"Consider CeraVe SA Cream with salicylic acid. That's a beta hydroxy acid that will also help exfoliate the skin gently. I really love those products. Those are great to start off with, especially applying after a shower. It will help with those dry, ashy knees and elbows."
✓Yay
77%Guru Score
"My tried-and-true has always been Neutrogena's Norwegian Hand Cream. Rich in glycerin, which just is a water magnet. Just draws in water and moisture and keeps it into your hands. And of course, outperforms a lot of the luxury creams out there. So, don't break the bank when it comes to your hand moisturizer."
✓Yay
92%Guru Score
"Every [...] ingredient in this is serving a purpose. You have the mineral oil, you have urea, you have humectants, all those things that help draw water but help heal with [...] those cracks and splits in your fingertips that are just so painful. [...] So great for those with landscaping, construction, and mechanics work. O'Keeffe's Working Hands will help soothe."
✓Yay
91%Guru Score
"And so their Advanced Repair Hand Cream is just a plus. There you have urea to help bring in moisture and help peel away dead skin. So those who have that rough sandpapery texture of their palms go for this one. So it helps soften thickened skin. You have ceramides which are part of the glue that hold our skin cells together. [...] You have it here in the Eucerin product as well. So great for that rough texture, especially in the wintertime."
✓Yay
80%Guru Score
"It's a great hack if you have kids with dry skin and you want to spray a larger surface area instead of dipping your hand in a big jar of Aquaphor and trying to spread it over kids that are just moving all over the place. A nice spray just to cover a large surface area. If you have dry cracked heels, spraying your feet with this spray has been a game changer. This has been a big essential in my household."
✓Yay
86%Guru Score
"The other nice body wash that I recommend to patients, Aveeno Skin Relief Body Wash. So affordable, a little goes a long way and also great for kiddos. This one is fragrance-free and Aveeno is known for their oat technology which is soothing for those with eczema skin that's inflamed."
✓Yay
86%Guru Score
"Don't use any overly fragranced things like Irish Spring. Yes, it smells really good, but that will also strip your skin of its natural oils."
✕Nay
57%Guru Score
"If you want a dedicated body wash though, my favorite is Eucerin's Eczema Relief Body Wash."
✓Yay
82%Guru Score
"CeraVe has done a good job with their hand creams. My medical assistants really like CeraVe Hand Cream."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"AmLactin with lactic acid is gentle, has been around for a while, great for keratosis pilaris on the back of the arms, but it really could help soften the skin and maybe add some help with the texture of the skin that might be playing a part with the crepiness around the knees."
✓Yay
77%Guru Score
"If you have eczema, turn to Aveeno lotions because they're enriched with oat technology. They have colloidal oat, which is known to be soothing, especially for inflamed skin from eczema."
✓Yay
75%Guru Score
"Cetaphil has made a new 20% Urea that's on the higher side of Urea that really helps with keratosis pilaris on the back of your arms, your thighs, where you got those keratin plugs that are follicularly based. People call it strawberry skin. Urea is a nice humectant, really draws in water and helps exfoliate those plugs. So this is a nice one."
✓Yay
82%Guru Score
"Coco Kind's made a really nice Retinol Body Cream. I've been loving this texture. The [...] retinol, the vitamin A, helps with collagen production and thicken up your skin."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"The first one I've ever used was the Versed retinol body lotion, and that is really good. You can get this at Target, you can get it on Amazon. [...] The texture is really nice. So you've got this retinol and you go ahead and apply it there. If you have easy bruising, I tell my patients to apply a retinol or vitamin A cream on the forearms and the legs, it helps rebuild collagen and thicken up the skin in those areas."
✓Yay
81%Guru Score
"The hand soap is meant for your hands. It has antibacterial properties, and overuse of this I know microbiologists are probably not happy about because you could promote resistant strain if you overuse it, especially on your face. I'm just worried about it being too harsh for your face. Your hands are much thicker skin; it can take a lot more than your face. So I would say definitely not use the hand soap for your face. All you need is a gentle cleanser."
✕Nay
47%Guru Score
"And nutum makes a nice retinol body lotion"
✓Yay
74%Guru Score
"Consider a retinol body lotion to use at bedtime. Verso makes a nice one if you want to prevent crepiness, you want to prevent hyperpigmentation or treat hyperpigmentation."
✓Yay
86%Guru Score
"Gold Bond's Rough and Bumpy Moisturizing Cream in that gold jar are so nice. I love that one a lot. That one really can soften up your arms. Don't go scrubbing and using a scrubber or brush or those harsh cloths to wipe away your KP. Just trust your moisturizers with those chemical exfoliants to help soften those bumps instead."
✓Yay
73%Guru Score
"Aveeno's therapeutic shave gel is the one that has never irritated my skin or my patients. This one is so good that I give it to all my family members and friends as gifts. I throw this in the bag because it's so essential. It's such a great Shaving Gel, and it's just soothing. It never hurts the skin, never stings the skin, and never irritates my skin. It has no added fragrance, so women can also use it for shaving. Consider Aveeno when you shave, guys. That's my little tip."
✓Yay
93%Guru Score
Haircare12 reviews
"One of my favorite shampoos that were released last year, Vichy Dercos. That shampoo has selenium sulfide and salicylic acid. I will use it on my scalp, but I also will wash my face with that as well."
✓Yay
87%Guru Score
"Head and Shoulders tried-and-true. Their Bare Shampoo though, I like that the bottle you can actually roll it up so you can get every last drop out of the bottle, and then you can also recycle the bottle and the cap. So, very nice job with that shampoo."
✓Yay
83%Guru Score
"I rather have salicylic acid in my shampoos like Neutrogena T/Sal Therapeutic Shampoo"
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"There's ketoconazole 1% shampoo by Nizoral. I prescribe 2% ketoconazole shampoo to my patients but they have it available over the counter as 1%. So that's another option you can consider for scalp itch and the flaking. [...] You can do it every other day to every day to stay on top of the yeast."
✓Yay
81%Guru Score
"[CeraVe] has entered the shampoo game and they have made some great products with zinc pyrithione anti-dandruff shampoo or their two-in-one shampoo and conditioner. Great products."
✓Yay
85%Guru Score
"Another way to go at the yeast would be zinc pyrithione and you classically have seen that in Head & Shoulders."
✓Yay
70%Guru Score
"Classically Neutrogena T/Gel, but I hear that's really hard to find or they've discontinued it, which is really sad. I've been recommending that from when I was a first year resident at Harvard."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"My favorite shampoos to target the yeast would be things with selenium sulfide like Selsun Blue."
✓Yay
77%Guru Score
"The best deal though price-wise is Costco's Kirkland Signature Minoxidil 5%."
✓Yay
86%Guru Score
"Topical monoxido or Rogan and the dread shed that is associated with it so we'll talk about all these shocking facts around Rogan"
✓Yay
86%Guru Score
"If you want to throw in some supplements like Viviscal, I'm okay with that too. The more things you can combine, the better results."
~Mixed
65%Guru Score
"I like Nutrafol because we're addressing multiple potential causes of your hair thinning with these supplements, and they even customize it to either men or women. [...] Age can differ too. I like that they've customized their women's supplements to either mature users or premenopausal females. I love that they've customized it and they're trying to address multiple root causes. I'm so glad I'm partnered with Nutrafol for this video."
✓Yay
65%Guru Score
Eye Care8 reviews
"This is their retinol eye serum with ginseng and retinol. You're going to apply one pump, break it up, apply it around the eyes, [...] and then get the eye patches and apply them right over your serum to seal it in. When you take it off after 15 to 20 minutes, you're just going to instantly glow up. It helps with depuffing and helps deliver [retinaldehyde] to the area."
✓Yay
93%Guru Score
"RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Eye Cream is their bestselling product and I can see why. I've been recommending this a lot to my patients over the years. It's a gentle retinol product that patients have used around the eyes. [...] I'm okay with retinol, over-the-counter retinol products around the eyes, especially those that are formulated for the eyelid skin. [...] Just use a small amount for around the eyes and use your ring finger to gently tap in the product."
✓Yay
78%Guru Score
"I've been talking about Avène retinol for quite a bit on the channel, and I think their eye cream with retinaldehyde is a winner as well. So retinaldehyde is theoretically stronger, more potent than retinol. So if you are an advanced user, you're still a little worried about irritating the skin, retinaldehyde by Avène is a good go-to."
✓Yay
85%Guru Score
"And can we put that around the eyes? Yes. In this formulation, I've been using this for quite a bit and it is a nice pump just like the alpharette. It's very gentle for around the eyes. I like to start to tap first and then slowly rub in afterwards. [...] I wouldn't double up on any of these eye creams, especially retinoids. You don't want to double up on retinoids. [...] Apply either morning or night. The retinoids I say tend to apply at night time."
✓Yay
81%Guru Score
"I typically say go for caffeinated options like L'Oreal Paris Revitalift Caffeine Plus HA serum. With that stainless steel wand, that beaded wand, you can keep that whole product in your fridge and take it out and with that cooling effect from the cold temperature plus the caffeine will help depuff the eyes."
✓Yay
68%Guru Score
"Other nice one that I like, higher price point though, is SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Advanced Eye Cream. Nice product, but is a higher price point with caffeine. I like that one a lot."
✓Yay
85%Guru Score
"I do like eye products that have caffeine or a higher concentration of peptide. For example, OneSkin OS-01 Eye Topical Supplement has a higher concentration of peptides in their eye products because this is very thin delicate skin. It's the thinnest skin of our body, the eyelid skin, so we have to take care of that and you do need specialized products for that area."
✓Yay
78%Guru Score
"The Inkey List has a Caffeine Eye Cream that's been nice."
✓Yay
71%Guru Score
Balms & Ointments6 reviews
"If you have any target areas with flaking in the eyebrows or on the nose, around the cheekbones that you want to treat, go ahead and use some Vaseline or [Aquaphor]."
✓Yay
85%Guru Score
"A versatile product that I could never live without would be Aquaphor's ointment. This is just money, you use this all the time. You can use it around the mouth, [...] on the neck in the folds so things don't pull there, and to moisturize the body."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"We recommend Vaseline or Aquaphor instead of Neosporin. Hate Neosporin. I just saw a Neosporin allergy the other day post-surgically on someone that was putting it on their knee surgery scar and got a big nasty rash from the Neosporin. So, use Vaseline instead."
✕Nay
31%Guru Score
"It has shea butter, glycerin, and soothing oat. The oat technology in Aveeno is special because we've seen evidence in papers of oat being anti-inflammatory. It's soothing, great for those with atopic dermatitis and eczema. It's very soothing to those with cracked skin who have exposed nerves and they're very itchy or with pain. Oat will help soothe it. I've used this on my lips, I've used it on my hands, and it does rub in well without that tacky feeling."
✓Yay
89%Guru Score
"Whether it's a CeraVe Healing Ointment in a little jar or look at this cute little Vaseline. Go ahead. I got big Vaseline here. Apply a little bit around the nose. You can apply on the lips. Get in the corners there. And you can apply the corners of your eyes. The canthus medial canthus lateral canthus. You can even get it on the eyelids. Just the thinnest film cuz you don't want to get clogged up pores and lead to milia cysts on the eyelid."
✓Yay
87%Guru Score
"You can follow up with a thicker petrolatum ointment to seal it in and that could be with Cetaphil Healing Ointment. [...] You can use just a pea-size amount to seal in the moisture and get that dewy glow. [...] A lot of people like to apply it not just to the lips but just a small amount to like the cheekbones. [...] Right after your hyaluronic acid goes on you can put a cream on and a little bit of this to occlude and retain that moisture so it doesn't evaporate."
✓Yay
69%Guru Score
Lip6 reviews
"La Roche-Posay also made a Cicaplast for lips, has a nice cool applicator. You can go ahead and apply that on the lips instead."
✓Yay
82%Guru Score
"When it comes to lip sunscreens, very hard to find lip sunscreens and you don't want to just put your regular sunscreen on your lips because it's not meant to be ingested, but there are good lip sunscreens out there like EltaMD, their UV Lip Balm is good."
✓Yay
83%Guru Score
"[Aquaphor] has made a good lip protecting sunscreen that my MAS like to use"
✓Yay
73%Guru Score
"One Skin, that brand that has made good peptide containing sunscreens, have a lip product out that does not have beeswax. So, that's good. Keep an eye out for that one. I'm really looking forward to trying that one out soon."
✓Yay
81%Guru Score
"MD Solar Sciences, their lip balms do not have beeswax."
✓Yay
82%Guru Score
"I still love Aquaphor. I use that on myself and my kids and we'll keep an eye out for any sensitivities that we develop, but right now we're good."
✓Yay
67%Guru Score
Acne5 reviews
"Then neutrogena has also made adapalene as well."
✓Yay
77%Guru Score
"The Hero Cosmetics Mighty Patch, [...] covering the acne is not so much to control your acne, you're going to still have to see your dermatologist, but to keep your fingers from picking at it say during the day while you're studying, reading, going about your day. You don't want to be picking at your acne. You're going to have that as a nice protective film and then you're going to work with your dermatologist on treating your acne."
✓Yay
87%Guru Score
"I also like Eucerin's Roughness Relief Spot Treatment for really dry thick elbows and knees. This has an extra boost of urea, so check this one out if you have keratosis pilaris."
✓Yay
81%Guru Score
"Benzoyl peroxide is gently exfoliating, but it's also antimicrobial, so it works really well in the pore and cleans out your pores. [...] Let's talk about benzoyl peroxide. We have CeraVe Gentle Clear Mattifying Acne Moisturizer Salicylic Acid Treatment, and this one is [...] 2.6% benzoyl peroxide, so it's on the lower end of the spectrum."
✓Yay
80%Guru Score
"Neutrogena makes some pimple patches, those are all fine to use. Those hydrocolloid patches that prevent you from picking at them, because I can tell when a patient has been picking I see this angulated triangular shaped scab on the forehead, on the cheeks. I can tell when you're picking and those are really tough, you know, those atrophic indented scars that you develop there, those are so tough to treat."
✓Yay
83%Guru Score
Masks & Peels4 reviews
"I feel like people are damaging their skin by trying to grab unnecessary physical exfoliating scrubs like St. Ives Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub or other scrubs with harsh beads."
✕Nay
41%Guru Score
"I've even seen patients get irritation from Paula's Choice BHA solution. So, with leave-on exfoliants, be very, very careful, especially if you're using a retinoid. Just be careful."
✕Nay
89%Guru Score
"I don't really care for The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution, that leave on that vampire purplish red solution. The chemical peel like effect that patients are getting is nice in terms of that deep pore cleaning action. It's really exfoliating the skin, but I've seen patients overuse it and I'd say you would use that like once a week. It's so powerful. Summer time, you got to be very careful with the sun. So, I would say be careful with the strong leave on exfoliants."
✕Nay
58%Guru Score
"A lot of these you know 9 out of tens like Olay retinal 24 CeraVe resurfacing those are all nine out of tens"
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
Mists & Essences3 reviews
"The K beauty find that I love is SKIN1004's Centella Ampule. They're using Centella Asiatica extract, which is one of my favorite ingredients to help with soothing the skin and helps with inflamed skin. This is a very hydrating face serum that you can apply right after cleansing and then apply your moisturizer to seal it in. It gives you a nice dewy glow up. I love that one, and I was really happy to see it was on sale for only $12.89, so $13 instead of $24 on Prime Day."
✓Yay
83%Guru Score
"Snail Mucin actually has a lot of hyaluronic acid. It has humectant properties that draw in water and support the skin barrier. It'll give your skin that nice bouncy hydrated look. It definitely will reverse that dull look and you'll have this nice glassy look where light would just reflect so nicely off of the skin."
✓Yay
76%Guru Score
"La Roche-Posay has a Cicaplast spray B5 with the matricine and panthenol. So you can start off with this. Do a little spritzing over the face. It's refreshing after the gym. [...] This is actually going on like a moisturizer. It feels like it's hydrating my skin. It's soothing. It's going to help repair the skin barrier with the matricine and the panthenol."
✓Yay
79%Guru Score
Tech2 reviews
"Unlike random viral gadgets, it's built around wavelengths actually studied in the literature, with 120 LEDs and full scalp coverage, which matters for even light distribution on diffuse thinning. CurrentBody publishes clinical testing showing improvements in shedding, hair density, and hair growth measurements after 12 weeks of consistent use."
✓Yay
84%Guru Score
"FDA cleared treatment for my patients with hair loss. I will recommend, if it fits their budget, an LLLT cap like the Iris Store Regular LED Cap. This is 25 minutes every other day, put the cap on. This is plugged into the wall and plug into a little remote control here and then press start. [...] At the start of the pandemic I noticed that my patients and myself included were dealing with a lot of hair loss and hair shedding, and so I started using this LLLT technology."
✓Yay
Notverified
Toners1 review
"I always want to show you this texture here. Very lightweight and makes your skin so smooth afterwards. No fragrance, fast absorbing, and not irritating so far. Do this in the morning and I only do about three times a week. I treat it like a leave-on exfoliant."
✓Yay
73%Guru Score
Tools1 review
"I use Lily Silk pillowcases and I've used their pillowcases and they're nice."
✓Yay
86%Guru Score

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Dr. Daniel Sugai is not affiliated with, and does not endorse, The Guru Index. Every quote on this page comes from his public YouTube videos, linked at the timestamp. Verdicts and approval stats are our editorial read of what he said. "Guru" is a title we award, not a sign of any affiliation.